Ode to the IEP Meeting

Time again for the annual event

Goals documented and invites sent

We gather around with the interdisciplinary crew

To discuss all the things my son cannot do

Another emotional burden to bear

To other parents, I do not compare

We sit and my rights are read

And on my son’s progress, light will be shed

I know nothing of his daily routine

Of his experiences, feelings, or what is seen

Other parents debrief with their kids; must be nice

A secondhand account from his teacher will have to suffice

As the meeting starts my stomach is turning

But then I hear the news for which I was yearning

He has worked hard, all his goals have been met

I am proud and so thrilled, and yet…

Sadness creeps in when I’m learning things about my son I wish I had known

If only he was able to tell me on his own

He loves strawberry milk, I had no clue

He enjoys chicken biscuits and club crackers too

He likes gathering around with peers on the rug

His eye contact may be lacking, but he likes to share a hug

Sweetness and innocence in the eye of the beholder

His peers accept him now, but will that be the case when he is older?

He matches shapes in a puzzle and scribbles lines in a row

Great accomplishments he could not do a year ago

He has improved with following one step directions

Using pictures he can now make his selections

So much I have learned about my son today

But even more about his teachers and the love they display

They go above and beyond; possessing patience abound

Their dedication to him is deeply profound

I have worried so much about what the future looks like

Will he have friends, learn to read, or ever ride a bike?

I don’t have all the answers but I least I know

He is loved. He is supported. We will help him grow.